More government infrastructure dollars are on the way to communities in the riding of Huron Bruce.
MPP Carol Mitchell and MP Ben Lobb have been busy today announcing funding under the federal/provincial Recreational Infrastructure Canada program
16 recreation projects in all Huron-Bruce municipalities are receiving two-thirds funding from the federal and provincial governments.
Municipalities have to cover the other one third of the cost.
Kincardine is the big winner, getting one million dollars each from Ottawa and Queen’s Park towards a new, three million dollar gymnasium and and arena dressing room addition at the Davidson Centre.
Mayor Larry Kraemer says the gymnasium is the one key need identified in the recent study on indoor recreational needs in Kincardine and he’s pleased the federal and Ontario governments are helping out.
Kraemer says it would be difficult for the community to afford the project on their own, but the help makes it viable now.
Over 600 thousand dollars (300 thousand each, federal and provincial) are flowing to Brockton for a new roof at the Walkerton Arena.
Mayor Charlie Bagnato says the roof is in poor condition and did not look good this past winter from melting snow. He says it’s also a safety issue.
He says the half-million dollar pricetag for the new roof is a lot, but it helps when two-thirds of it is given to the municipality.
300 thousand from both senior levels of government is also going towards revitalizing Centennial Park in Walkerton, which Bagnato says has not received any upgrades since opening in 1967.
Funding is also travelling down the path to Saugeen Shores. 15 thousand dollars each from the Ontario and federal governments is going towards completing the trail connection between Port Elgin and MacGregor Point Provincial Park.
Recreation Manager Jane Jagelewski says it’s the third of three phases to complete the 30 kilometre trail loop from the park to the rest of Saugeen Shores.
She says the project could be finished this fall, if not–next spring, and that the funding gives completing it a major jump start.
Huron-Kinloss is receiving over 16 thousand dollars each for the Point Clark and Huron District Community Centre.
Huron-Kinloss is sharing over 246 thousand dollars each from the province and Ottawa for an addition to the Lucknow and District Sports Complex.
The feds and the province are each giving over 30 thousand dollars to South Bruce for a detailed energy retrofit.
Over 223 thousand dollars each from Queen’s Park and Ottawa will help fund upgrades to Lion’s Harbour Park in Goderich.
The two senior levels of government are supplying North Huron each with over 305 thousand dollars for recreation facility upgrades.
The Belgrave Kinsmen Club will use the over 64 thousand dollars the Ontario and federal governments are each contributing for a new floor at the Belgrave Arena.
The three million dollar plan to renovate the Clinton Recreation Complex is getting a boost of one million dollars each from the federal and provincial governments.
Huron East plans to use the 348 thousand dollars Ottawa and Queen’s Park are each chipping in for the Seaforth and District Community Centre.
Over 11 thousand dollars each from the federal and provincial governments will go towards renovating the Bluevale Community Hall in Morris Turnberry.
The Ontario and federal governments are each giving over 33 thousand dollars towards arena renovations in Howick Township.
MPP Carol Mitchell says the recreation grants are a way of creating jobs, and that the government recognized they needed to do more because of challenges stemming from the troubled auto industry.
MP Ben Lobb says all of the projects receiving funding are practical, financially prudent, and will have great benefits for the community.